


UNEXPECTED CHANGE

by kingstoken



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Griffins, F/F, F/M, POV Clarke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-04-20 21:09:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14269584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingstoken/pseuds/kingstoken
Summary: "Clarke, I am so happy you're alive and well, but this doesn't feel right, especially considering my relationship with your mother."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is just an idea I had floating around in my head for awhile now, I decided to try and write it before the new season starts and I get distracted.

She felt absorbed by the kiss, it was too much, but also not enough. Six years, six years without intimate contact from another human being. With the help of Bellamy and her friends she had dug out the bunker. There had been hugs and tearful reunions, but little time to spend with one another, because of the new threat looming over them. Their journey began almost at once, it wasn't until the group stopped to make camp that she had pulled Niylah aside, away from the campfire. Niylah pushed Clarke away from her.

"Clarke, I am so happy you're alive and well, but this doesn't feel right, especially considering my relationship with your mother."

"My mother?" Clarke didn't understand.

"Clarke, your mother and I, we're together." Niylah and her had never been exclusive, and she knew there was a good chance that Niylah would become close to someone within the bunker, but her mother? 

"But, Kane?"

"Kane and Abby haven't been in a relationship for almost two years."

"I saw him today, helping her pack up medical supplies, giving her water from his canteen."

"He's always around, they still support each other, and I believe they still care for each other."

'What happened?"

"I don't know. Abby doesn't like to talk about it, and I don't press her." Clarke was hearing the words coming out of Niylah's mouth, but she was having a hard time wrapping her head around it. When it seemed like Clarke had nothing else to say Niylah decided to extricate herself.

"I better track down Abby, find out where we're bedding down for the night." As Niylah walked away Clarke wanted to call her back, she had so many questions, Niylah didn't have the answers, but Clarke knew who did.


	2. Chapter 2

Clarke sat beside the camp fire with her mother and Niylah. She had hoped to get answers, but it didn't seem like the right time to ask prying questions. Abby asked her about what her life was like for the past six years, she wanted to know all about Madi and Clarke's new home. So, Clarke ended up doing almost all the talking. She was the center of her mother's attention, which Clarke had to admit felt wonderful, she hadn't realized how much she missed that until this moment. As she talked Abby and Niylah ate, they shared food from the same plate, something Clarke would have thought a simple friendly gesture, if she didn't know better. At some point Clarke became aware that Kane had settled at another camp fire near by. He kept glancing at them, but made no attempt to intrude.

Eventually Abby declared she was tired, and Niylah and her retired to their bed rolls. More time had pasted then Clarke had thought, everyone else, except the posted sentries, had settled down for the night. The only person still sitting by the fires was Marcus Kane. Clarke moved over to Kane's fire, sitting beside him.

"Kane."

"Clarke."

"I'm glad you're alright."

"I'm happy you're alright, too. Your mother was worried, I know she's relieved." Clarke gave him a half smile. They both stared into the fire for a long moment.

"Kane, Niylah told me about her and my mother. What happened?" Kane sighed, rubbing a hand down his face.

"I wish I could give you a simple answer. Things in the bunker were bad. Abby and I often disagreed, but we would overcome it, find a compromise. The larger problem was finding accord with anyone else. It shouldn't have been complicated, but it was a constant struggle. We found ourselves on the opposite side of Octavia, Indra and almost all of Wonkru. We were trying to provide reason and empathy, but few were willing to listen. I guess it eventually got to be too much for Abby. One day she came to me and said she wanted out, she didn't want to be involved in politics and war anymore, she just wanted to be a doctor again. I didn't blame her, I could tell it was taking a toll. What I did not realize at first, was that she not only wanted out of the our situation, she wanted out of our relationship. I let her go. I had hoped that once we left the bunker that there might be a chance for us again, but now she is with someone else."

"I'm sorry, Kane."

"It's okay." But, she could tell by the look on his face, that it wasn't. So, she did the only thing she could think to do, she wrapped both arms around him, giving him a hug.


	3. Chapter 3

A couple of days had passed and they would soon be arriving at their destination. The landscape had already started to change, it was still desert but as they got closer to the valley plants had started to appear, sagebrush and flowering cacti. Clarke had spent the majority of the last two days marching or planning strategy with Bellamy, Octavia, Kane and others. Surprisingly her mother never attended any of these strategy meetings. As the valley drew closer Clarke knew this might be the last day she could speak to her mother privately, because who knew what this new conflict would bring. And, although understanding her mother's love life should be very low on her list of priorities, she couldn't help but be curious. When the group stopped at a natural spring to drink and rest, Clarke noticed that her mother was alone, Niylah was helping others refill their canteens and pouches. Clarke sat beside her mother who was trying to get some shade from a stunted bush.

"Clarke" said Abby as she rubbed Clarke's back. Ever since their reunion Abby couldn't seem to stop touching her, as if she had to reassure herself that Clarke was really there. Part of her just wanted to sit and enjoy her mother's company, but she knew at some point soon the group would need to move on.

"Mom, you and Niylah, do you want to tell me how that happened?" Abby stopped rubbing Clarke's back, returning her hands to her lap.

"Jackson and I decided to train Niylah, beyond the basic emergency care we taught the rest of Wonkru, she has received six years of extensive medical training."

"Is she a doctor now?"

"Not yet, we were limited by our circumstances, but she is close. During her training we developed a friendship, and after I ended things with Kane our relationship changed. Niylah is good for me, she keeps me grounded and calm, and I hope I'm good for her, too."

"Why did you end things with Kane?"

"I couldn't ask him to stop being who he was. Marcus has always tired to seek justice, and be a leader. When we came to earth he learned to fight for what he believed in. After I decided to step away, I could not ask him give all that up."

"But, why would he need to? And, why did you need to step away? You have always been involved, you were on the council, you were Chancellor, even after you gave up the pin you and Kane ran Arkadia together. I know things were bad in the bunker ..."

"No, it was more then that" Abby sighed, "I had hoped to tell you this in a different way."

"Tell me what?"

"Clarke, I'm sick." A chill ran down Clarke's spine.

"Sick?"

"You remember Raven at Becca's lab."

"But, she cured herself, she told you how to cure yourself" she insisted.

"We weren't able to replicate the procedure, and even if were able to complete the treatment now, my illness has progressed to such a point that Jackson doesn't think I'd survive it." 

"Mom, are you going to ..." Clarke couldn't bring herself to say it, she had just got her back.

"No, at least we don't think so. Over the past six years we have been able to successfully manage my condition. I haven't had any hallucinations since the beginning. But, I fatigue easily, I have memory loss, I become confused and there are times I black out altogether, but thankfully not lately."

"And you were able to keep this all hidden from Kane?"

"No, he knew I wasn't well. What he doesn't know is that two years ago I got exponentially worse. Jackson was able to make the connection that the higher my levels of stress were the more intense my symptoms became."

"So, no more fighting and no more politics. But, no more Kane?"

"You have to understand what our relationship was like. We discussed everything, we would work through issues trying to find a solution. I think we talked as much about the feeding, training and medical needs of our people, as we did about ourselves. Marcus needs that in a partner, it's what he deserves."

"Mom, you have to tell Kane everything. Even if you can't be together, he needs to know the truth. He must blame himself, think that he did something wrong to cause this."

"How do you know?"

"Because that's what I would think." They both sat in silence trying to absorb what was just said. Clarke knew this was her fault, she had used the EMP to fry Abby's chip. She had to look after her mother, make things better for her.

"Oh my God, I just realized we've been marching you across the desert for two days, that can't be good for your medical condition."

"I'm okay, I'm exhausted, but I haven't had any of my spells. And, you're right about Marcus, I'll talk to him when we make camp tonight."


	4. Chapter 4

Later that day, when the group stopped to make camp, Clarke watched Abby pull Kane aside to talk to him. As Abby talked Clarke could tell Kane was getting upset, he was hunched, one arm wrapped around himself, his other hand at his mouth.

"She's telling him about her condition." Clarke hadn't heard Niylah approach.

"Yes. You knew?"

"Yes, but I didn't feel it was my place to tell you." They both stood there staring at them, Kane pulled Abby into a tight embrace, he looked desperate, like he didn't want to let go. Clarke glanced at Niylah and was surprised to see genuine pain upon her face. 

"I'm sorry, Niylah. I didn't ... I just thought he had a right to know." Niylah took a deep breath and blinked away tears.

"No, you were right. I've tired to encourage her to tell him, in the past. And, no matter what happens I'll always be there for her."

"Niylah, are you in love with my mother?"

"Yes." And suddenly Clarke wasn't sure if she made the right decision.

* * *

Over the next few hours Clarke agonized over what had happened, perhaps she had made things worse. She felt sick to her stomach. At the nightly strategy meeting she only half listened. She noticed Kane wasn't in attendance. After the meeting broke up Clarke walked through the camp, she saw her mother, Kane and Niylah all sitting around a small camp fire, separated from the central group. They seemed deep in conversation. After awhile Kane stood up, took Abby's cup and headed away from the fire, probably to get water. As he passed by Clarke stopped him.

"Kane, is, um, is everything okay?" she asked, throwing a worried look at her mother and Niylah. Seeing the anxious look on Clarke's face he sought to reassure her.

"It will be. Niylah and I both love your mother, we're going to get her through this and make sure she is taken care of. So, you don't need to worry, just concentrate on what comes next."

"Thanks Kane." She would never stop worrying, but it was nice to know she wasn't alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic turned out a little more Kabby centric then I had originally intended. I had also planned on an angsty ending, but decided on a more hopeful one.


End file.
